Batter My Heart, Three-Personed God

fortressBATTER MY HEART, THREE PERSON’D GOD (2000)
double Brass Septet, Percussion, and Choir SATB
6 min.

Text: John Donne, Sonnet XIV

Text:
Batter my heart, three-personed God; for You
As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o’erthrow me, and bend
Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like a usurped town, to another due,
Labor to admit You, but O, to no end;
Reason, Your viceroy in me, me should defend,
But is captived, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be fain,
But am bethrothed unto Your enemy.
Divorce me, untie or break that knot again;
Take me to You, imprison me, for I,
Except You enthrall me, never shall be free,
Nor ever chaste, except You ravish me.

 

 

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